I have a son that is only 7 years old. When he was reading and writing at
the age of 3 I went ahead and placed him in school a month befor he turned
5. By the end of that year he had not only finished kindergarten but 1st
and 2nd grades as well. I didn't like the idea of a 5 year old going into
3rd grade so I help him back. It was the worse year of his little life.
He hated school! Misbehaved continously! When he scored 5th grade on the
standards Nine tests I wasn't surprised. The third year (This past year)
in school I placed him in 2nd grade (Age 6). By the end of the school
year he graduated 4th and had been taking sever 5th and 6th grade classes
int he school that he is in. The school is going to place him in the
5th/6th grade the next year. He is only 7 years old and at times still
acts like a 7 year old. Most of the time that is not the case but there
are times. I teach him at home because he says the school work is too
easy. I am not a college graduate and am presently try to take classes
that keep me above him. The teachers don't seem to know how to teach
him. He says that he doesn't understand how to do the things that they
try to teach him. He now tells them let me take it home and have my mom
show me how. I know the way he thinks and if you tell him this is how you
do it. That will be the only way he will do it. He takes everything so
literal that you have to be carefull what and how you explain things to
him.
I am not sure that the 5th grade is a good idea, but every year I try to
hold him back and he excells so far the the teachers can't keep up with
him. If he gets bored he starts talking and is disruptive to the class.
He starts hating going to school and it is difficult to get him to do his
work.
What can I do to keep him interested in school but at the same time make
sure that he has connections with his own age kids. At this point he
doesn't play with any children his age the youngest person he plays with
is 9. The kids in his class think he is too young and the kids his age
don't understand him.
He has started to get poor scores on some assignments just so the kids
wont tease him about being so smart. They call him a freak and things
like that. He wants to learn and loves to try new projects. He is in a
private school that has multiage classes but is still the youngest in hes
class by at least 2 years. He is doing math from the math book I got from
the local college book store. He says that it is easy. He reaads music
and sings with the likes of Neal McCoy on stage in concert. He is an
actor and loves playing with his telescope amd microscope. I can hardly
get him to go outside.
Does anyone have any ideas? Should I let him move as fast as he wants?
Should I keep him back in elementary school? I an torn between knowing he
is gifted and want a normal life for him.
Sincerely, Debra Beavor